as in slippery
hard to find, capture, or isolate
the giant squid is one of the ocean's most elusive inhabitants
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of elusive
Republicans and the White House have been willing to negotiate on some points, but a final agreement remains elusive.
—
ABC News, 30 Mar. 2026
Moore had fallen out of favor in Chicago, making just 50 catches for 682 yards and six touchdowns last season, but the 28-year-old wideout still has something in the tank that could help Allen regain his MVP form and advance to the elusive Super Bowl.
—Logan Brown, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Mar. 2026
No single independent, resourced institution has the authority to handle and investigate emotional abuse allegations against college coaches — and so experts say accountability can be elusive.
—Julia Haney, NPR, 28 Mar. 2026
But the centerpiece of the property tax reform that lawmakers have been promising for the last two years — a ballot measure to address soaring assessment values — remained elusive.
—Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 28 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for elusive
ABC News, 30 Mar. 2026
Moore had fallen out of favor in Chicago, making just 50 catches for 682 yards and six touchdowns last season, but the 28-year-old wideout still has something in the tank that could help Allen regain his MVP form and advance to the elusive Super Bowl.
—Logan Brown, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Mar. 2026
No single independent, resourced institution has the authority to handle and investigate emotional abuse allegations against college coaches — and so experts say accountability can be elusive.
—Julia Haney, NPR, 28 Mar. 2026
But the centerpiece of the property tax reform that lawmakers have been promising for the last two years — a ballot measure to address soaring assessment values — remained elusive.
—Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 28 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for elusive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for elusive
Adjective
-
Be prepared for slippery roads.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
31 Mar. 2026
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Because the condition affects balance and coordination, veterinarians recommend keeping affected cats in safe, predictable spaces where hazards like slippery floors, high furniture and stairs are minimized.—
Liz O'Connell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
This explains why climbers can experience transient blindness.—
Brad Stulberg,
Outside,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Tapachula has long served as a hub for transient populations.—
Edgar H. Clemente,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Fauci wasn’t being evasive; science was evolving in real time.—
David Blumenthal,
Fortune,
24 Mar. 2026
-
Pearce took several evasive turns to get away from the officers, including cutting through a Chevron gas station and heading north on 102nd Avenue, according to the report.—
David Goodhue
March 12,
Miami Herald,
12 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Elusive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/elusive. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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